Envelope making machinery



6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 11, 1958 bm MN L III.

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ATTORNEYS 5 A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINERY 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 11, 1958 mm N 1 R m 0 0 VN H N I m A 0 I 1 A M NOV. 21, A- NOVICK ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINERY Filed June 11, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. Abra/lam Na /ck M,%,&,w+

ATTORNEYS A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINERY Nov. 21, 1961 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 11, 1958 INVENTOR. Abra/7am Nov/ck.

ATTORA/Ey Nov. 21, 1961 A. NOVICK ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINERY 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 11, 1958 4394 9441 G CA Nov. 21, 1961 A. NOVICK 3,009,558

ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINERY Filed June 11, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR Isaak aw Nov/ck BY m 74%;?142i ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()fi 3,009,558 Patented Nov. 21, 1961 ice 3,009,558 ENVELOPE MAKING MACHINERY Abraham Novick, Flushing, N.Y., assignor to F. L.

Smithe Machine Co., Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 11, 1958, Ser. No. 741,985 13 Claims. (Cl. 198-20) This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants prior co-pending application Serial No. 565,561, filed February 15, 1956, now abandoned.

This invention relates to machines for making open end envelopes. In prior machines for making open end envelopes, it has been common practice to provide means "for fan-out gumming and drying the seal flaps of the envelope blanks, individualizing and scoring the blanks, applying center seam gum, and folding and adhering the. side flaps, all while advancing the blanks endwise; and for thereafter efiecting a ninety degree change of direction of feed of the blanks at a transfer station to advance them sidewise for effecting, at least, gumming and folding of the bottom flap and folding of the closure flap. The procedure may be varied by including mechanism for applying clasp fasteners or string fasteners at appropriate points and, if desired, by omitting the application of seal flapgum.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide improved transfer means, capable of operating more rapidly and in a more positive and dependable manner, than transfer devices heretofore provided for the same general purpose.

To this end, it is a feature of the invention that the operating parts of the transfer mechanism are exclusively continuously rotary parts, there being no parts which reciprocate or which move intermittently. As a consequence of this improved construction, the transfer mechanism is capable of operating substantially thirty percent faster than required to keep space with the present day, commercial, continuous rotary envelope making machine.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing forming part of this specification:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of that portion of an illustrative machine for making open end envelopes at which endwise feeding of the blanks is concluded and sidewise feeding is begun;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism of FIG. I, the section being taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a detailed fragmentary, sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a sectional'view in perspective of a rotary blank depresser employed in the machine of FIGS. 1 to 4, the figure being upon a larger scale than FIG. 1, and the section being taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a modified form of rotary blank depresser on the same scale as FIG. 5, the section being taken as if looking toward the left in FIG. 5, and in a plane corresponding substantially to the plane of the fourth depresser disc of FIG. 5, counting from the left;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the blank feeding and transferring mechanism .indicating another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to FIG. 1 but indicating the embodiment shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a vertical section taken on the line 10-10 of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 10 but indicating another embodiment of brush element.

The illustrative transfer mechanism is useful in any form of machine for manufacturing open end envelopes in which the blanks are first fed lengthwise for the performance on the blanks of such operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling lengthwise, and are thereafter fed sidewise for the performance on the blanks of such operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling sidewise. Open end envelopes are sometimes provided with seal flap gum together with string and button fasteners, or together with metallic clasp fasteners. For illustrative purposes, however, the simplest'case may be as sumed, in which the sole sealing means consists of dried, moisture-sensitive, seal flap gum applied to the lining face of the seal flaps.

In such a machine, the envelope blanks are taken successively from the bottom of a stack (not shown), and are directly arranged in fan-out relation with the bottom flaps leading, being then advanced endwise at slow speed through a fan-out gummer (not shown) and a fan-out dryer (not shown). The blanks are then pulled out of fan-out formation and advanced endwise at high speed past scoring mechanisms (not shown), center seam gumming mechanism (not shown), and side flap folding mechanism (not shown). The blanks are then delivered seriatim to the transfer station. From the transfer station, the blanks are advanced sidewise past bottom flap gumming means (not shown), bottom flap folding means (not shown) and seal flap folding mechanism (not shown). I

In FIG. 1 an envelope generally designated 10a is shown as it would be when ready for transfer from lengthwise to sidewise feeding. 'Seal flap gum has been applied, the blank has been scored, a side flap 12 has been gummed, the side flaps 14 and 12 have been suecessively folded to form the center seam, and the blank is being advanced at high speed toward the transfer station.with the bottom flap 16 leading. The blank 10a is shown as gripped between a lower driven roller 18 and upper opposed feed discs 20, and also as gripped between a lower driven roller 22 and upper'opposed feed discs 24 and 26, the latter bearing downward against the center seam. The blank 10a, in the position shown, is resting in part upon a slotted table 28 which is disposed in what may be referred to as an upper feeding plane (see FIG. 2).

The feeding thus far described is a positive feeding of the blank. It falls just a little short of completingthe feeding of the blank in an endwise direction.

The blank 1011, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, is being fed off of the upper. level table 28 and onto a slotted sectional lower table 30-32-34. The feed couple formed by the roller 22 and the discs 24 and 26 is effective to continue the advance of the blanks lengthwise until the leading end of the bottom flap nearly engages a fixed stop bar 36 which is located to obstruct and arrest the advanc in-g blank.

As the blank 10a is thrust forward by the rollers 22- 24-26, its leading end first passes a rotary depresser generally designated 38 and enters a guide bight formed between the table section 32 and curved inclined fingers 40 and 42. The fingers 40 and 42 are carried respectively 0 by upwardly extending arms 44 and 46. The fingers 0onvenge toward the table in the direction of lengthwise feeding, and serve to assure proximity of the leading end of the blank to the table in the region of a feed roller 48. The roller 48 forms a part of a slip drive means for acting on the blanks. The roller 48, which is desirably driven at the same peripheral speed as the rollers 18 and 22, serves yieldingly to assist the advance of each blank lengthwise while it is still in the feed bight of the positive feed rollers 22 and the discs 24 and 26, and to continue the advance of the blank yieldingly against the stop bar 36 after the blank has run out of engagement with the rollers 22 and the discs 24 and 26.

A bent spring arm 50, mounted on cross bar 52, bears lightly downward against the roller 48 to assist the roller in yicldingly advancing the blanks. Balls 54, freely mounted in upstanding tubes 56 rest by gravity on the roller 48 at opposite sides of the spring arm 50 and also assist in yieldingly advancing the blanks. Short inclined guide fingers 57 are carried by the tubes 56. The rollers 54 are free to turn in any direction. They assist the yielding lengthwise feeding of the blank, but they do not interfere with the crosswise feeding of the blank. When the leading edge of the bottom flap of a blank comes into engagement with the stop bar 36, it is first squared to engage the bar continuously along its leading edge, and is then fully arrested with its forward margin located beneath a sloping stationary guide bar 58, notwithstanding the tendency of the roller 48, in cooperation with the spring arm 50 and the balls 54, to urge the blank forward. When the blank has attained this condition of rest, the sidewise movement is initiated.

Chain conveyors generally designated 60 and 62, which run widthwise of the table 30-62-34, are disposed beneath the table, the conveyor 60 being located to act upon the leading end of the blank and the conveyor 62 being located to act upon the trailing end of the blank. The conveyors 60 and 62 are duplicates, so that a description of one will suffice for both. Brackets 64, attached to the underside of the table, support stationary shafts 66 and a rotary shaft 68 which shafts support end sprockets 70 and 71, respectively. The shaft 68 is the common drive shaft of the two conveyors 60 and 62. The conveyors 60 and 62 include chains 72 and 73, respectively, which are trained on the end sprockets 70 and 71. Each chain has its active stretch disposed just beneath the table, but the chains 72 and 73 respectively carry a plurality of equally spaced feed lugs '74 and 75 which extend upward through spaces provided between the table sections 34 and 32, and between the table sections 32 and 30. As shown, each conveyor chain carries two of the feed lugs, the lugs being so spaced in each instance that they divide the chain into two equal lengths, each equal to the distance traveled by the chain in a single cycle of the machine. The lugs are carried by the chains in orbital paths.

The lugs feed each blank sidewise until it has been advanced slightly beyond the position in which the blank b is shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, and into position to have its leading mangin seized in the bight of a feed couple which consists of a feed roller 76 and a pair of opposed feed segments 78. Just after the leading side edge of the blank has crossed the line of centers of the feed rollers 76 and the segments 78, the high parts of the segments become active, causing the blank to be seized between the feed roller and the segments. The segments are driven at the rate of two revolutions per cycle, so that active and idle revolutions occur in alternation. The segments feed the blank at their own peripheral speed, which speed is substantially in excess of the speed of the feed lugs 74, but not as great as twice the speed of the feed lugs. When the couple 76-78 seizes a blank, therefore, it pulls the blank away from the lugs. By the time the lugs reach the end of the active stretches of the conveyors and dip downward through the table, the trailing side edge of the blank is far enough ahead of the lugs by which it was initially pushed sidewise, to escape engagement with the lugs.

The couple 76-78 forwards the blank to a following couple which consists of a lower roller 80 and opposed, complete upper feed discs 82. The discs 82 are of the same diameter as the segment 78 and are also driven at the rate of two revolutions per cycle. From the couple -82, the advance of the blank is continued at the same rate past mechanism which gums the bottom flap and mechanisms which fold the bottom and top flaps.

The depressor 38 of FIGS. 1 to 5 consists of a guide shaft 84 and a series of discs 86, 88, 90, 92, 94 and 96 fast on the shaft. The discs are alike in that each has a low part, a merging part which gradually increases in radius from the minimum to the maximum radius, and a high part of maximum uniform radius, and that the high part terminates in an abrupt shoulder. The high part serves to depress the blank clear of the next following blank, and into the path of the advancing lug 75 while the low part serves to provide clearance for the feed lug 75. At the initial engagement of a rear feed lug 75 with the blank, all the high parts are disposed across the lug path. They are of varying angular extent, however, and are so disposed on the shaft that each disc provides clearance for the lug just as the lug reaches the disc. Since the depressor rotates at uniform speed and the lugs 75 advance axially at uniform speed, the termination points of the high parts of the discs are disposed substantially along a helix. As the lug clears each disc, the trailing side of the blank also clears the disc. Since there is nothing to obstruct the following blank in the cleared zone, the discs in that zone are not required to perform any further depressing function in the current cycle. The low part may therefore be designed to increase in radius very gradually until the maximum height is again attained.

It is desirable that scraping or snagging of the blank as it is moved sidewise be avoided. Since the illustrative envelope making machine is arranged to lap the side fiap 14 onto the side flap 12 in forming the center seam, the transfer mechanism and the subsequent feeding means are arranged to feed the blank sidewise toward the right. This avoids possible snagging of the overlying side flap 14 on the fingers 50 and 42, and on the depresser discs 94 and 96. To avoid scraping, each of the depresser discs is beveled and rounded on its left hand side as shown in the case of the disc 92 of FIG. 3. Also for the purpose of avoiding scraping, the finger 42 is given a slight twist to the right at its upper or free end.

For the purpose of further assuring that a blank 10a will not have its leading edge snag on the trailing edge of the preceding blank 10b, provision is made of means for preventing snagging of the leading margin of the lank 10a under the influence of gravity as it is thrust forward beyond the feed couple 2226. A horizontal blower pipe 97 has a series of air discharge openings disposed in its upper side, through which air is directed upward against the leading end of blank 10a. Upward displacement of the leading end of blank 10a by the air blast is prevented by fingers 99 which overlie the blank. The fingers 99 are carried in fixed positions by a supporting bar 101.

In FIG. 6, disclosure is made of a modified form of depresser 100. There is a supporting and driving shaft 84a, as before, but all the discs are replaced by a single solid continuous depresser member 102 which is fast on the shaft. At the extreme left end, the member 102 has the cross sectional configuration of the disc 86 as indicated by 86a, while at the plane corresponding to the discs 92, the member has the cross sectional configuration of the disc 92 as indicated at 92a. Between these two planes, the cross sectional configuration smoothly and consistently progresses from the cross-sectional configuration of the disc 86 through the cross-sectional configuretions of the discs 88 and to the cross-sectional configuration of the disc 92. The same principle of construction is followed in the remainder of the member 102 which is not shown. That is, each of the discs shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 could be sliced out of the solid member 102, While the intervening part between disc planes progresses smoothly from the configuration of one disc to the configuration of the next. This separator member has the advantage that it presents no edges upon which envelope blank could be scraped or snagged as it is fed sidewise.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 11, inclusive, the blank A is fed between a pair of cooperating rollers 122 and 124 which in this instance are arranged to advance blanks therebetween and deliver them onto the slotted sectional table 30-32-34 at the same height or elevation thereas, rather than feeding down from a higher elevation as in the previous embodiment. In this embodiment, the depresser 38 is provided to insure that the blanks are fed into close overlying proximity to the slotted sectional table 303234. However, in some instances, particularly those in which the level of feeding is not changed, it may be desirable to omit the depresser.

In accordance with the present invention, a set of three rotating brush members generally designated 126, 128, 130 are afiixed to a shaft 132 which is rotated by suitable mechanism connected to a pulley 134 at one end thereof to rotate the peripheral portions of the brush members at substantially the same peripheral speed as the roller '48. The shaft 132 is mounted on an adjustable arm 135 which is pivotally connected to an upstanding portion 136 secured to the machine frame by an adjustable screw 137. An elongated stud 138 having a wing nut 140 secured to the top end thereof, is positioned in a slot on the free endof the arm 134. An adjustable wing nut 142 is threadably adjustable on the stud 138 to change the elevational position of the arm 134 after the screw 137 is loosened. It is possible with the adjustment described to vary the clearance between the outer peripheries of the brush members 126, 128 and 130 with the roller 48.

The brush members 126, 128 and 130 include a hub portion 144 having a plurality of brush elements 146 secured thereto either at an angle from the vertical as in FIGS. 9 and 10 or in a substantially vertical position as indicated in FIG. 11.

When the blank 10A is delivered onto the sectional table 30-3234 the forward end 16 contacts the brush elements 126, 128, 130 and the roller 48. The brush members are preferably positioned on the shaft 132 with the brush elements 146 of each of the end brush members 126 and 130 arranged to lean in the direction of the feed of the conveyor 62. The central brush member 128 is reversed on the shaft 132 in relation to the other brush members and its brush elements 146 lean in a direction contrary to the feed of the blank effected by the conveyor 62 and the lugs 74 and 75. The brush members 126, 128 and 130 in the arrangement described, permit easy controlled yielding lengthwise feeding of each blank 10A into abutment with the stop bar 36. While the brush elements 146 may be vertical or may be positioned on the shaft 132 in either direction of sloping, the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 permits smooth, rapid feeding of the blank against the stop 36 and thereafter unhindered pickup by the lugs of the conveyor 62 for feeding off in the opposite direction.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for making envelopes in which envelope blanks are first fed lengthwise for the performance thereon of such operation or operations as are best performedwhile the blanks are traveling lengthwise, and are then fed sidewise for the performance thereon of such further operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling sidewise, the combination with continuously acting rotary means for positively feeding the blanks lengthwise, one after another, in a first feed plane to a transfer station, of

transfer mechanism at said station comprising blank sup-v porting means stepped down from said feed plane to received the blanks at a lower level than said feed plane, stop means adjacent said supporting means in position to obstruct and arrest lengthwise feeding of each blank, slip drive, rotary means acting in the plane of said supporting means for yieldingly continuing the lengthwise feeding of each blank into engagement with said stop means, continuously driven, endless leading end and trailing end conveyors having their active stretches disposed substantially at the level of the blank supporting means and operable transversely of the direction of said'lengthwise feeding, lugs on the conveyors and orbitally movable thereby for simultaneously engaging a lateral edge of each respectively near the leading and trailing ends thereof after it has come to rest in engagement with said stop means, to push the blank sidewise away from the at rest position, continuously acting rotary means disposed directly over the trailing end conveyor for progressively engaging and depressing the trailing end of a blank before and during the sidewise pushing of the blanks, to assure the maintenance of the trailing end of the depressed blank below the level of the leading end of the next oncoming blank and in the path of the lug which engages the trailing portion of the depressed blank, the depressing means comprising a constantly driven shaft disposed parallel to the direction of active lug travel, and a series of depressing cam discs thereon, each disc having a high part for depressing the blank, followed abruptly by a low part for clearing the lug, the high parts being all in the path of the lug as the sidewise pushing of the blank by the lug is initiated, but disposed in such angular relationship on the shaft that each disc clears the lug path just before the lug reaches the plane of the disc.

2. In a machine for making envelopes in which envelope blanks are first fed lengthwise for the performance thereon of such operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling lengthwise, and are then fed sidewise for the performance thereon of such further operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling sidewise, the combination with continuously acting rotary means for positively feeding the blanks lengthwise, one after another, in a first feed plane to a transfer station, of transfer mechanism at said station comprising blank supporting means stepped down from said feed plane to receive the blanks at a lower level than said feed plane, stop means adjacent said supporting means in position to obstruct and arrest lengthwise feeding of each blank, slip dn've, rotary means acting in the plane of said supporting means for yieldingly continuing the lengthwise feeding of each blank into engagement with said stop means, continuously driven endless leading end and trailing end conveyors having their active stretches disposed substantially at the level of the blank supporting means and operable transversely of the direction of said lengthwise feeding, lugs on the conveyors and orbitally movable thereby for simultaneously engag ing a lateral edge of each blank respectively near the leading and trailing ends thereof after it has come to rest in engagement with said stop means, to push the blank sidewise away from the at rest position, rotary means disposed directly over the trailing end conveyor for progressively engaging and depressing the trailing end of each blank before and during the sidewise pushing of the blank, to assure the maintenance of the trailing end of the depressed blank below the level of the leading end of the next oncoming blank and in the path of the lug which engages the trailing portion of the depressed blank, and feeding means for positively seizing the depressed blank as it is being pushed sidewise by the lugs to pick up and continue the sidewise movement of the blank during and after the feeding of the blank by the conveyor carried lugs.

3. In a machine for making envelopes in which envelope blanks are first fed lengthwise for the performance thereon of such operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling lengthwise, and are then fed sidewise for the performance thereon of such further operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling sidewise, the combination with continuously acting rotary means for positively feeding the blanks lengthwise, one after another, in a first feed plane to a transfer station, of transfer mechanism at said station comprising blank supporting means stepped down from said feed plane to receive the blanks at a lower level than said feed plane, stop means adjacent said supporting means in position to obstruct and arrest lengthwise feeding of each blank, slip drive, rotary means acting in the plane of said supporting means for yieldingly continuing the lengthwise feeding of each blank into engagement with said stop means, continuously driven, endless leading end and trailing end conveyors having their active stretches disposed substantially at the level of the blank supporting means and operable transversely of the direction of said lengthwise feeding, lugs on the conveyors and orbitally movable thereby for simultaneously engaging a lateral edge of each blank respectively near the leading and trailing ends thereof after it has come to rest in engagement with said stop means, to push the blank sidewise away from the at rest position, rotary means disposed directly over the trailing end conveyor for progressively engaging and depressing the trailing end of each blank before and during the sidewise pushing of the blank, to assure the maintenance of the trailing end of the depressed blank below the level of the leading end of the next oncoming blank and in the path of the lug which engages the trailing portion of the depressed blank, and rotary feeding means for positively seizing the depressed blank as it is being pushed sidewise by the lugs to take over and continue the sidewise movement of the pushed blank, said rotary feeding means operating at a higher feeding rate than the lugs, to pull the blanks clear of the lugs so that the blank will not be engaged and marred by the lugs as the lugs turn downward away from the blank feed path.

4. In a machine for making envelopes in which envelope blanks are first fed lengthwise for the performance thereon of such operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling lengthwise, and are then fed sidewise for the performance thereon of such further operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling sidewise, the combination with continuously acting rotary means for positively feeding the blanks lengthwise, one after another, in a first feed plane to a transfer station, of transfer mechanism at said station comprising blank supporting means stepped down from said feed plane to receive the blanks at a lower level than said feed plane, stop means adjacent said supporting means in position to obstruct and arrest lengthwise feeding of each blank, slip drive, rotary means acting in the plane of said supporting means for yieldingly continuing the lengthwise feeding of each blank into engagement with said stop means, continuously driven, endless leading end and trailing end conveyors having their active stretches disposed at substantially the level of the blank supporting means and operable transversely of the direction of said lengthwise feeding, lugs on the conveyors for simultaneously engaging a lateral edge of each blank respectively near the leading and trailing ends thereof after it has come to rest in engagement with said stop means, to push the blank sidewise away from the at rest position, rotary means disposed directly over the trailing end conveyor for progressively engaging and depressing the trailing end of each blank before and during the sidewise pushing of the blank, to assure the maintenance of the trailing end of the depressed blankbelow the level of the leading end of the next oncoming blank and in the path of the lug which engages the trailing portion of the depressed blank, and rotary feeding means for positively seizing the depressed blank as it is being pushed sidewise by the lugs to pick up and continue the sidewise movement of the blank during and after the feeding of the blank by the conveyor carried lugs, the depressing means comprising a drive shaft and a series of cam discs fast thereon, each having a high part for depressing the blank which terminates in an abrupt shoulder to provide clearance for the associated lug as the lug successively reaches and passes the discs.

5. In a machine for making envelopes in which envelope blanks are first fed lengthwise for the performance thereon of such operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling lengthwise, and are then fed sidewise for the performance thereon of such further operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling sidewise, the combination with continuously acting rotary means for positively feeding the blanks lengthwise, one after another, in a first feed plane for a transfer station, of transfer mechanism at said station comprising blank supporting means stepped down from said feed plane to receive the blanks at a lower level than said feed plane, a stop adjacent said supporting means in position to obstruct and arrest lengthwise feeding of each blank, means acting in the plane of said supporting means for yieldingly continuing the lengthwise feeding of each blank into engagement with said stop, leading end and trailing end conveyors having their active stretches disposed at the level of the blank supporting means and operable transversely of the direction of said lengthwise feeding, lugs on the conveyors for simultaneously engaging a lateral edge of each blank respectively near the leading and trailing ends thereof after it has come to rest in engagement with said stop, to push the blank sidewise away from the at rest position, rotary means disposed directly over the trailing end conveyor for progres sively engaging and depressing the trailing end of a blank before and during the sidewise pushing of the blank, to assure the maintenance of the trailing end of the depressed blank below the level of the leading end of the next oncoming blank and in the path of the lug which engages the trailing portion of the depressed blank, and rotary feeding means operating at a higher feeding speed than the lugs for positively seizing the depressed blank as it is being pushed sidewise by the lugs to take over from the lugs and accelerate the sidewise movement of the blank.

6. In a machine for making envelopes in which envelope blanks are first fed lengthwise for the performance thereon of such operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling lengthwise, and are then fed sidewise for the performance thereon of such further operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling sidewise, the combination with continuously acting rotary means for positively feeding the blanks lengthwise, one after another, in a first feed plane to a transfer station, of transfer mechanism at said station comprising blank supporting means stepped down from said feed plane to receive the blanks at a lower level than said feed plane, stop means adjacent said supporting means in position to obstruct and arrest lengthwise feed ing of each blank, slip drive, rotary means acting in the plane of said supporting means for yieldingly continuing the lengthwise feeding of each blank into engagement with said stop means, continuously driven endless leading end and trailing end conveyors having their active stretches disposed substantially at the level of the blank supporting means and operable transversely of the direction of said lengthwise feeding, lugs on the conveyors and orbitally movable thereby for simultaneously engaging a lateral edge of each blank respectively near the leading and trailing ends thereof after it has come to rest in engagement with said stop means, to push the blank sidewise away from the at rest position, rotary means disposed directly over the trailing end conveyor for progressively engaging and depressing the trailing end of each blank before and during the sidewise pushing of the blank, to assure the maintenance of the trailing end of the depressed blank below the level of the leading end of the next oncoming blank and in the path of the lug which engages the trail ing portion of the depressed blank, and rotary feeding means for positively seizing the depressed blank as it is being pushed sidewise by the lugs to pick up and continue the sidewise movement of the blank during and after the feeding of the blank by the conveyor carried lugs, said blank seizing means including a feed couple which comprises a roller and an opposed segment disposed beyond the lateral bounds of the lengthwise feed path, and means driving the segment at the rate of two revolutions per cycle, so that idle and active revolutions occur in alternation, the diameter of the segment being such that the peripheral speed of the segment is substantially greater than the speed of the feed lugs but less than twice the speed of the lugs.

7. In a machine for making envelopes in which envelope blanks are first fed lengthwise for the performance thereon of such operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling lengthwise, and are then fed sidewise for the performance thereon of such further operation or operation as are best performed while the blanks are traveling sidewise, the combination with continuously acting rotary means for positively feeding the blanks lengthwise, one after another, in a first feed plane to a transfer station, of transfer mechanism at said station comprising blank supporting means stepped down from said feed plane to receive the blanks at a lower level than said feed plane, stop means adjacent said supporting means in position to obstruct and arrest lengthwise feeding of each blank, slip drive, rotary means acting in the plane of said supporting means for yieldingly continuing the lengthwise feeding of each blank into engagement with said stop means, continuously driven endless leading end and trailing end conveyors having their active stretches disposed substantially at the level of the blank supporting means and operable transversely of the direction of said lengthwise feeding, lugs on the conveyors and orbitally movable thereby for a simultaneously engaging a lateral edge of each blank respectively near the leading and trailing ends thereof after it has come to rest in engagement with said stop means, to push the blank sidewise away from the at rest position, rotary means disposed directly over the trailing end conveyor for progressively engaging and depressing the trailing end of each blank before and during the sidewise pushing of the blank, to assure the maintenance of the trailing end of the depressed blank below the level of the leading end of the next oncoming blank and in the path of the lug which engages the trailing portion of the depressed blank, and rotary feeding means for positively seizing the depressed blank as it is being pushed sidewise by the lugs to pick up and continue the sidewise movement of the blank during and after the feeding of the blank by the conveyor carrier lugs, said blank seizing means including a feed couple which comprises a roller, an opposed segment, disposed beyond the lateral bounds of the lengthwise feed path, and means driving the segment at the rate of two revolutions per cycle, so that idle and active revolutions occur in alternation, the diameter of the segment being such that the peripheral speed of the segment is substantially greater than the speed of the feed lug-s but less than twice the speed of the lugs, the conveyor being extended far enough beyond the position of the lugs at which the segment seizes the blank to enable sufficient space to be developed between the trailing side of the blank and the lugs to assure clearance of the blanks by the lugs as the lugs turn downward away from their feed path.

8. In a machine for making envelopes in which envelope blanks are first fed lengthwise for the performance thereon of such operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling lengthwise, and are then fed sidewise for the performance thereon of such further operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling sidewise, the comnism at said station comprising blank supporting means plane to receive the blanks stepped down from said feed at a lower level than the feed plane of said continuous rotary feeding means, stop means adjacent said supporting means in position to obstruct and arrest lengthwise feeding of each blank, slip drive, rotary means acting in the plane of said supporting means for yieldingly continuing the lengthwise feeding of each blank into engagement with said stop means, continuously driven endless leading end and trailing end conveyors having their active stretches disposed substantially at the level of the blank supporting means and operable transversely of the direction of said lengthwise feeding, lugs on the conveyors and orbitally movable thereby for simultaneously engaging a lateral edge of each blank respectively near the leading and trailing ends thereof after it has come to rest in engagement with said stop means to push the blank sidewise away from the at rest position, and continuously acting rotary means disposed directly over the trailing end conveyor for progressively engaging and depressing the trailing end of a blank before and during the sidewise pushing of the blank, to assure the maintenance of the trailing end of the next oncoming blank and in the path of the lug which engages the trailing portion of the depressed blank, and means for maintaining the leading end of the oncoming blank up in the first feed plane until it is engaged and depressed by the depressing means, comprising a blower for blowing air upward against the lower face of the leading end of the blank, and an overlying stop means disposed to prevent displacement of said leading end upward substantially above said plane.

9. In a machine for making envelopes in which envelope blanks are first fed lengthwise for the performance thereon of such operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling lengthwise, and are then fed sidewise for the performance thereon of such further operation or operations as are best performed while the blanks are traveling sidewise, the coin bination with continuously acting rotary means for positively feeding the blanks lengthwise, one after another, in a first feed plane to a transfer station, or transfer mechanism at said station comprising blank supporting means stepped down from said feed plane to receive the blanks at a lower level than the feed plane of said continuous rotary feeding means, stop means adjacent said supporting means in position to obstruct and arrest lengthwise feeding of each blank, slip drive, rotary means acting in the plane of said supporting means for yieldingly continuing the lengthwise feeding of each blank into engagement with said stop means, continuously driven endless leading end and trailing end conveyors having their active stretches disposed substantially at the level of the blank supporting means and operable transversely of the direction of said lengthwise feeding, lugs on the conveyors and orbitally movable thereby for simultaneously engaging a lateral edge of said blank respectively near the leading and trailing ends thereof after it has come to rest in engagement with said stop means to push the blank sidewise away from the at rest position, and continuously acting rotary means disposed directly over the trailing end conveyor for progressively engaging and depressing the trailing end of a blank before and during the sidewise pushing of the blank, to assure the maintenance of the trailing end of the depressed blank below the level of the leading end of the next oncoming blank and in the path of the lug which engages the trailing portion of the depressed blank, the depressing means comprising a constantly driven shaft and a depressing member fast thereon, said member having a high part for depressing the' blank, followed abruptly by a low part for clearing the lug, the high part extending from end to end of the de- 11 pressing" member and disposed continuously in the path of the lug as the sidewise pushing of the blank by the lug is initiated, the high part having a spiral boundary so disposed that the lug path is progressively cleared just in advance of the lug as the lug travels the length of the depressing member.

10. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said slip drive, rotary means includes a rotating roller and rotating brush means cooperative therewith and rotating in the opposite direction therefrom.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein said brush means includes a plurality of brush elements arranged for rotation at an angle between the horizontal and the vertical and in contact with said rotating roller.

12. The combination aCcOrding to claim 2 wherein said slip drive, rotary means includes roller means and a plurality of brush members cooperating with said roller 12 means and arranged for rotation in the opposite direction thereto, said brush members including brush elements arranged to extend at an angle from their central axis of rotation and wherein at least two of said brush members are arranged for rotation with their brush elements slanted in opposition to each other.

13. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said slip drive, rotary means includes a rotating roller and a cooperating ball member between which said blank is advanced.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 1,762,452 Novick June 10, 1930 2,262,303 Staude NOV. 11, 1941 2,603,484 Bates July 15, 1952 

